School Board election could shift party leaning

Sunday

Nov 25, 2012 at 7:42 PM

The five people hoping to replace Al Williams on the Volusia County School Board have no time to waste in connecting with voters in a race that has the potential to expand the voice of conservatives in school decisions.

LINDA TRIMBLEEDUCATION WRITER

DAYTONA BEACH — The five people hoping to replace Al Williams on the Volusia County School Board have no time to waste in connecting with voters in a race that has the potential to expand the voice of conservatives in school decisions. The four-week window between last Wednesday's end of qualifying and the Dec. 18 primary leaves candidates competing with holiday celebrations and Christmas shopping lists for voters' attention. "I think the race will be decided on how many people we get to the polls," said Teresa Valdes, a real estate agent from Daytona Beach Shores and one of the five contenders. "People are sick and tired of elections and being asked for money." Valdes is one of two Republicans in the running for a School Board that's long been a Democratic stronghold even though its elections have been nonpartisan affairs since 1996. With last week's seating of Republican Linda Costello, the board is evenly divided between the two parties and the District 2 election will decide which one prevails. Costello, who took over the District 4 seat on the School Board last week after a yearlong campaign to upset veteran incumbent Democrat Judy Conte, doesn't envy the job that lies before the five candidates. "A month is not long enough to run a campaign," Costello said. "They just have to get the word out the best they can. The more people they know, the better their chance." At least candidates can target their campaigns to voters living in District 2 who will decide the nonpartisan contest, rather than having to reach a countywide audience. The district includes Daytona Beach, South Daytona, Daytona Beach Shores, Ponce Inlet and part of Port Orange. The two top finishers will get a little extra time to woo voters. A runoff for a four-year term paying $34,010 annually is scheduled for Jan. 15 if no one gets more than half the primary vote. Valdes and fellow candidate Ida Duncan-Wright, a business instructor at Bethune-Cookman University who lives in Daytona Beach, may have a slight name recognition edge with voters because both have run for office before in Volusia County. Duncan-Wright lost the District 2 School Board primary to Williams in August. Valdes lost a Republican primary for the Florida House to Dorothy Hukill in 2010. The other candidates — Horace Anderson Jr., Deborah Haigh Nader and Kathy Williams — are seeking public office for the first time. Kathy Williams of Port Orange is the widow of Al Williams, who occupied the District 2 seat from 1984-92 and from 2004 until he died Oct. 1. She worked for Chicago public schools for 34 years before retiring and moving to Volusia County in 2004. Anderson is a cosmetologist/barber who lives and works in Daytona Beach and Nader is co-owner of a liquor store from South Daytona. The 53-year-old Nader was born and raised in Daytona Beach and graduated from Seabreeze High in 1977. Nader said she's concerned about looming budget cuts in the aftermath of this month's defeat of a school tax referendum. "I'm concerned whether the children will be as well educated as we need them to be," she said. The candidates said they'll be knocking on doors, sending out campaign materials and attending plenty of public meetings between now and mid-December to boost their visibility among voters. Volusia Republican Executive Committee Chairman Stan Escudero hopes that will translate into a School Board whose five members represent a wider cross-section of viewpoints than in the past. While School Board elections have been nonpartisan since 1996, Democrats have held the majority of seats long before that and ever since. "We do feel conservatives haven't had a sufficient voice in the past," Escudero said. "We would like to see more representation on the School Board and throughout the county. We think it's a healthy thing." Costello's election — supported by local Republican and conservative groups — was one step in accomplishing that goal. Stan Schmidt is the only other Republican on the School Board now, serving with Democrats Diane Smith and Candace Lankford. Some current board members and District 2 candidates don't even like to talk about political parties, saying what's best for children should drive School Board decisions rather than political agendas. Anderson and Williams declined to disclose their party affiliations although Escudero confirmed Anderson is a Republican. Duncan-Wright and Nader are Democrats. "I am a conservative; that's the point of view I take," Anderson said, adding the School Board needs more diversity in viewpoints among its members. Williams described herself as an "independent thinker" whose experience in education and local community organizations has prepared her well to serve on the School Board. Although she's registered as a Democrat, Nader said she votes for "the best candidate." No matter who's elected in District 2, current board members said the winner will face a steep learning curve as the board tackles tough budget-cutting decisions starting in late January now that the tax referendum was rejected by voters. "The budget is going to be the Number One topic, so (the new members) have a quick education in that," Schmidt said. The veteran board members said there's something more important than political parties when it comes to School Board candidates. "If you focus on doing what's best for children, party is irrelevant," Lankford said. Diane Smith, just elected as the School Board's new chairwoman, doesn't anticipate problems in meshing the views of veteran board members with those of Costello and whoever wins the District 2 seat. "We're all kind of moderate," she said. "I don't think any of us are way out there. I consider myself a pretty moderate Democrat."